Method of crystallizing sugar.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

H. G. CHRISTIANSON. METHOD OF CRYSTALLIZING SUGAR.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1907.

W/TNESSES INVENTOH ORNEYS PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

H. O. OHRISTIANSON. METHOD OF ORYSTALL IZING SUGAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1907.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

INVENTOH IlfW/T/VESSES HNEYS HARRY C. GHRISTIANSON, OF FANWQOD NEW JERSEY.

METHOD OF CRYSTALLIZING SUGAR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY O. CHRISTIAN- soN, a citizen of the United States, resident of Fanwood, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Methods for Crystallizing Sugar, of which the following is a specification.

Reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a form of apparatus most suited for these urposes. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view 0 a modification thereof.

The reference numerals in both figures indicate corresponding arts.

It is well known t at sugar can be only crystallized out of very low grade molasses or masse-cuite very slowly in a crystallizer, and only by means of agitating the molasses or masse-cuite during the crystallizing process. It is further known that the variation in temperature, thatis a gradual decrease in temperature during the crystallizing process is also an important factor.

Various apparatus have been constructed by which the molasses is agitated and the temperature gradually decreased. These alpparatus, however, have the disadvantage t at they agitate the mass not slow enough, and that the temperature cannot be decreased uniformly throughout the whole mass to cause an even and uniform crystallization of the whole mass at the same time.

In the apparatus described hereinafter I have rovided means by which the mass may be on y slightly agitated and by which at the same time the temperature may be regulated in any desired degree.

In Fig. 1, 1 is a tank of any suitable size which may be charged with the molasses or masse-cuite through charging tube 2 at the upper end of the tank. At the bottom of the tank is provided discharge tube 3 with gate valve 17 for discharging the molasses after the treatment. At a suitable place is provided a thermometer 4 protruding into the masse-cuite 5 to indicate its temperature during the process. At the bottom of the tank is provided a suitable numberof pipes 13 whic 1 protrude through the bottom into the tank and which are connected to one pipe 12 through which air of suitable low pressure and suitable temperature is supplied to these pipes. I On each of these pipes protruding into the tank may be provided a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 14. 1907- Serial No. 379.008.

gradually decreases a few Patented Mai valve 14. 6 is a pipe through whicl.\ pressed air from a reservoir or compres'w supplied at low temperature. 7 is a controlling the air supply through this pip 8 is a pipe through which compressed air a high temperature is supplied from any suitable means. 9 is a valve controlling the hot air supply. Both pipes 6 and 8 are united by the T-piece 10 to which the pipe 12 is connected. 11 is a thermometer which is fastened in T-pieoe 10 according to which the temperature of the air to be supplied to pipe 12 may be regulated by means of valves. 7 and 9. 15 is an opening at the top of the tank which may be left open in order to let the airsupplied by pipes 13 escape. The air 1n leaving pipes 13 at the bottom of the tank at low pressure will rise slowly in bubbles through the molasses or masse-cuite, thus keeping it constantly and only slightly agitated. The temperature of the air intro duced into the mass is at the beginning of the process preferably the molasses and while the process goes on degrees each day. This process may be continued for an indefinite time until substantially all the sugarhas crystallized out of the molasses or massecuite. It is to be noticed that while the process is in' operation, the gum and other impurities willbe gradually carried to the surface, where owing to the languid character of thea itation they remain, separated from the slow% body of the liquid is discharged to the centrifugals. The liquid being thoroughly mixed when it leaves the, cooler can be discharged direct to the centrifugal without interposition of a mixer, thereby saving the cost of installation and operation of the latter.

At any suitable placea pipe 16 may be provided through which steam may be introduoed before the tank is charged in order to heat it up to the temperature of the molasses to be introduced, and this pipe may also serve for supplyinghot water for washing out the tank. While I have shown in Fig, 1 an apparatus for this crystallizing process in its preferred form, I do not wish to limit myself to this particular form, since the process may be carried out in the manner above described by any other form of tank,

as for instance shown in the modification in Fig.

y forming sugar crystals in the liquid, and readily separated -therefrom when the 2, the fundamental idea consisting the same as that of ing the molasses and ,f loW pressure to rise 5 and in reduoin the ir gradually in or' er to ired by the crystallizing @3111 my claim hereinafter @olasses, it may be stated a n meant to designate any ,oiasses, masse cuite or its equivamolasses, which comprises admitting air into the lower portion of the molasses at substan- 15 tially the same temperature but slightly higher pressure than the molasses at said place of admission, and reducing the temperature of the air, before its admission, to the diminishing temperature of the molasses, 20 as the orystalhzation progresses.

HARRY O. GHRISTIANSON. Witnesses: v i

, HARRY E. KNIGHT, P. FRANK SONNEK. 

